It was substantially slower. There were relatively few four-lane highways, mostly approaches on the outskirts of big cities and the cross-state turnpikes built in the 1950s. So making your way into or out of a large city meant slow traffic and dozens of red lights, and could take most of a morning.

It could be very frustrating. Many highways had been cobbled together from bits of pre-existing roads and route markers were small and easy to miss. If you missed a sudden right-angle turn, you might not realize it until you pulled into the next town miles away and had to double back.

The highways were a lot more dangerous. Overtaking slower traffic by driving in the oncoming lane was risky, but waiting for mile after mile was frustrating. Guardrails and pavement markings were much less evolved. Animals, cross traffic, and railroad grade crossings posed constant dangers.

The "tourist infrastructure" was much different. There were almost no national restaurant or hotel chains, so every stop was an adventure. Sure, you might find the warm, homey family-owned auto court with handmade quilts—but you were equally likely to find cockroaches, hay-stuffed mattresses, and a bathroom smelling of mildew. Lunch might be a fabulous local gem with delicious homemade pies, or it might be a greasy spoon that hadn't changed the oil in the fryer for a month.

Perhaps you have more specific questions?